Miscarriage: how is it going?

Miscarriage is an involuntary termination of pregnancy. The majority of miscarriages mostly occur in the first trimester, before 14 weeks of gestation. Unfortunately, 15 to 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. The causes of these miscarriages are often not known. However, it is estimated that chromosomal abnormalities are the main cause. The pregnancy then ends because the embryo is not viable and could not have developed normally.

Recognizing a miscarriage: symptoms and course

Early miscarriage: pain and bleeding, warning signs

In the case of a so-called early miscarriage (before 14 weeks of amenorrhea), le fetus (or the embryo depending on the stage of pregnancy) is usually expelled naturally. Symptoms of miscarriage are often bleeding and/or contractions which cause more or less severe pain. While the miscarriage is very early, for some women it can also go unnoticed. When the fetus is expelled in this way naturally, hospitalization is not necessary.

How to promote natural expulsion?

Depending on when the miscarriage occurs, it may be possible to allow a few days to pass to see if a natural expulsion of the embryo occurs. This may be the case, for example, if the miscarriage occurred after an egg detachment (without this being the cause), an insufficiently closed cervix or bleeding.

To promote this expulsion, one can practice moderate to intense physical activity (brisk walking), or drink raspberry leaf herbal teas, plant which is emmenagogue, that is to say which stimulates blood flow in the pelvic region. In homeopathy, we can opt for granules of Caulophyllum Thalictroides, mainly indicated to facilitate the labor of childbirth.

Miscarriage: which pain medications?

The analgesics and antispasmodics “Classic” (paracetamol and Spasfon) can be used against pain due to miscarriage. If necessary, the gynecologist or midwife may prescribe more powerful analgesics. But first it will be necessary make sure the sharp pain is not a sign of infection, especially if they are accompanied by fever and / or heavy bleeding.

When the miscarriage is late or not spontaneous

If the miscarriage is detected atscan and / or that it is quite late, without symptoms, the doctor may decide to schedule a aspiration. This act is performed under general anesthesia and usually only requires one day of hospitalization. Concretely, we introduce a small tube connected to a pump to suck the inside of the uterus. Other doctors, on the contrary, prefer to wait for the natural expulsion of the fetus to avoid a more or less well-lived hospitalization. However, you should know that several days may elapse between the announcement of the termination of the pregnancy and the onset of the miscarriage. A wait that is often very distressing for mothers. Many of them speak of distress and great loneliness. However, if the abortion is difficult to trigger, medical intervention is possible.

Late miscarriage: methods for terminated pregnancy

What is a curettage?

After two and a half months of pregnancy, doctors resort to curettage because the suction technique is no longer sufficient. This act consists, after dilation of the cervix, in “emptying” the uterus using a curette (hence its name!) To scrape the uterine lining. It is also practiced under general anesthesia, requiring one day of hospitalization.

Medicines prescribed for the expulsion of the embryo

At a more advanced stage, doctors can induce evacuation of the egg with RU 486. Also used for medical terminations of pregnancy, this medicine causes the egg to detach. After two days of treatment, the contractions are then provoked by an infusion of oxytocin. Other option: childbirth can be triggered by prostaglandins given orally or vaginally. Note that prostaglandin tablets (misoprostol) are also prescribed in case of incomplete expulsion.

Miscarriage after 4 months: a real childbirth

In the event of fetal death in utero (at more than 4 months of pregnancy), women must prepare for a real childbirth. This situation is all the more delicate as they will give birth to a lifeless baby. As a precaution, childbirth is triggered fairly quickly in the hospital. Doctors may have use of prostaglandins or RU 486, supplemented by an oxytocin infusion to induce labor. They can also be offered an epidural to relieve them, namely that general anesthesia is becoming increasingly rare. Parents are not alone. The medical team is there to support them throughout the birth and, if they wish, they will be able to see their baby at birth. But it is never an obligation and the choices are respected.

To discover: in video: I’m afraid of miscarriage

What about after a miscarriage?

When the miscarriage takes place in the hospital, the embryo or the abortion product is systematically collected for laboratory analysis. The purpose of this research is to detect the cause of the miscarriage. And often, when the origin is revealed, it is less difficult for parents to accept the loss of their child.

Before 22 weeks of amenorrhea, parents can retrieve their child’s body for burial or cremation. If the parents do not wish to exercise this right, the hospital takes care of the burial or cremation. Some cemeteries have a “square of angels” or “square of remembrance” where ashes can be spread after cremation.

To compensate for the lack of recognition of couples bereaved by the loss of a child, the law allows since February 6, 2008 to declare a dead fetus to the civil registry, from 15 weeks of amenorrhea. It can be entered in the family record book *.

When a child born without life, after 22 weeks of amenorrhea and / or with a weight of 500 g, the mother can benefit from a full maternity leave. And this child will count in a future maternity leave: for example, if it is a 3rd pregnancy or more, the maternity leave will therefore be extended, as for a third child born alive.

Miscarriage: what treatments?

After one early miscarriage, things naturally return to normal, without special treatment. Only a follow-up ultrasound is necessary if there has been no aspiration or curettage, to check the condition of the uterus. On the other hand, after a late miscarriage, drugs are prescribed to prevent the flow of milk. A medical check-up is normally scheduled within one month of the miscarriage. But if necessary, do not hesitate to consult.

Un Psychological support can also be beneficial, the important thing being not to shut yourself up, to dare to talk about it. We can write a letter to say goodbye to this child, or do any other gesture that makes us feel good to take the time to consider the loss, to better move forward afterwards.

Note that apart from clear medical contraindications, it is no longer advisable to wait before carrying out a new pregnancy. It is possible to get pregnant again very quickly, sometimes even before your period returns. That said, it can be good to give your body and mind time to recover from this ordeal. It’s up to the couple to decide according to their feelings.